Method and System for the Electrochemical Co-Production of Halogen and Carbon Monoxide for Carbonylated Products

1 . A method for producing a first product from a first region of an electrochemical cell having a cathode and a second product from a second region of the electrochemical cell having an anode, the method comprising the steps of:

contacting the first region with a catholyte comprising carbon dioxide;

contacting the second region with an anolyte comprising a recycled reactant and carbon monoxide; and

applying an electrical potential between the anode and the cathode sufficient to produce carbon monoxide recoverable from the first region and phosgene recoverable from the second region, the carbon monoxide recoverable from the first region being recycled as an input feed to the second region.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the recycled reactant is HX, where X is selected from a group consisting of F, Cl, Br, I and mixtures thereof.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

reacting the phosgene recovered from the second region with an additional reactant to form a third product and the recycled reactant.

4 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein the additional reactant includes at least one of an amine, methyl amine, butyl amine, aniline, a diamine, di amino toluene, diamino benzene, 4,4′ methylene diphenyl diamine, hexamethylenediamine, meta-tetramethylxylylene-diamine, and toluenediamines, or at least one of an alcohol, methanol, and ethanol, and mixtures thereof.

5 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein the third product includes an isocyanate, methyl isocyanate, butyl isocyanate, phenyl isocyanate, diisocyanate, methylene-diphenylisocyanate, phenyl-diisocyanate, hexamethylene-diisocyanate, toluene-diisocyanate, meta-tetramethylxylylene-diisocyanate, alkyl carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, ethylmethyl carbonate or diethyl carbonate.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cathode and the anode are separated by an ion permeable barrier that operates at a temperature less than 600 degrees C.

7 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the ion permeable barrier includes one of a polymeric or inorganic ceramic-based ion permeable barrier.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the catholyte is liquid phase and the anolyte is gas phase.

9 . A method for producing a first product from a first region of an electrochemical cell having a cathode and a second product from a second region of the electrochemical cell having an anode, the method comprising the steps of:

contacting the first region with a catholyte;

contacting the second region with an anolyte comprising a recycled reactant; and

applying an electrical potential between the anode and the cathode sufficient to produce hydrogen recoverable from the first region and a halogen recoverable from the second region, where the halogen includes at least one of F 2 , Cl 2 , Br 2 or I 2 ;

reacting the hydrogen recovered from the first region with carbon dioxide to produce water and carbon monoxide; and

reacting the carbon monoxide, the halogen recovered from the second region and an additional reactant to form a third product and the recycled reactant.

10 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the recycled reactant is HX, where X is selected from a group consisting of F, Cl, Br, I and mixtures thereof.

11 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the additional reactant includes at least one of an amine, methyl amine, butyl amine, aniline, diamine, di amino toluene, diamino benzene, 4,4′ methylene diphenyl diamine, hexamethylenediamine, meta-tetramethylxylylene diamine, and toluenediamines, or at least one of an alcohol, methanol, and ethanol, and mixtures thereof.

12 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the third product includes an isocyanate, methyl isocyanate, butyl isocyanate, phenyl isocyanate, diisocyanate, methylene-diphenylisocyanate, phenyl-diisocyanate, hexamethylene-diisocyanate, toluene-diisocyanate, meta-tetramethylxylylene-diisocyanate, alkyl carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, ethylmethyl carbonate or diethyl carbonate.

13 . A method for producing a first product from a first region of an electrochemical cell having a cathode and a second product from a second region of the electrochemical cell having an anode, the method comprising the steps of:

contacting the first region with a catholyte;

contacting the second region with an anolyte comprising a recycled reactant and carbon monoxide;

applying an electrical potential between the anode and the cathode sufficient to produce hydrogen recoverable from the first region and phosgene recoverable from the second region;

reacting the hydrogen recovered from the first region with carbon dioxide to produce water and carbon monoxide, the carbon monoxide being supplied as an input feed to the second region; and

reacting the phosgene recovered from the second region and an additional reactant to form a third product and the recycled reactant.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the recycled reactant is HX, where X is selected from a group consisting of F, Cl, Br, I and mixtures thereof.

15 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the additional reactant includes at least one of an amine, methyl amine, butyl amine, aniline, diamine, di amino toluene, diamino benzene, 4,4′ methylene diphenyl diamine, hexamethylenediamine, meta-tetramethylxylylene diamine, and toluenediamines, or at least one of an alcohol, methanol, and ethanol, and mixtures thereof.

16 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the third product includes an isocyanate, methyl isocyanate, butyl isocyanate, phenyl isocyanate, diisocyanate, methylene-diphenylisocyanate, phenyl-diisocyanate, hexamethylene-diisocyanate, toluene-diisocyanate, meta-tetramethylxylylene-diisocyanate, alkyl carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, ethylmethyl carbonate or diethyl carbonate.